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It is estimated that 9 percent of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive past five years. What is it like to be faced with such statistics? To survive? Here, in their own words, are the experiences of three men and women.
Do you or does someone you know have pancreatic cancer? Tell us about how you manage your condition in the comment section below…
Counting the Years, and Blessings
Sandra Baulkmon Martin, 58, Brandon, Fla.
Sandra Baulkman Martin, a retired teacher, insisted that doctors perform additional tests to determine the cause of her recurrent pancreatitis. As a result, she learned at age 50 that she had stage I pancreatic cancer.
Mrs. Martin, who works as a dressmaker, had immediate surgery, called a Whipple procedure, to remove parts of her pancreas and the surrounding organs. She then underwent a year of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Eight years after the diagnosis, Mrs. Martin remains free of cancer.
She volunteers for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, helping to raise money for research and providing support for other patients.
Only about 5 percent of people with pancreatic cancer survive five years past diagnosis. Mrs. Martin attributes her survival to catching the cancer early, before it had a chance to spread.
Offstage, a New Role
Marilyn Horne, 74, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Marilyn Horne, the opera singer, learned she had pancreatic cancer in December 2005 after coping with mild abdominal pains for almost a year. Ms. Horne needed both chemotherapy and radiation treatments to shrink the tumor before her pancreas could be surgically removed.
Throughout the process, she continued to teach. “I never cried,” said Ms. Horne.
Since having her pancreas removed, Ms. Horne has developed diabetes but has kept to a busy routine. She is grateful to be cancer-free.
Determination Counts
Jeff Ross, 59, Laguna Beach, Calif.
In July 2003, Jeff Ross, a business consultant, was told that he had advanced pancreatic cancer and less than a year to live. Despite the odds, he was determined to survive.
With the help of his wife, Sally, Mr. Ross found doctors who were willing to help him fight the disease with aggressive treatment.
After several months of treatment combining chemotherapy and radiation, Mr. Ross’s cancer disappeared. It has not come back. Mr. Ross believes that a positive attitude and his refusal to accept his prognosis were the keys to his survival.
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